Meaning
by Emerald-Velvet-Touch
Summary: One Shot. Based on Hitoshi Okuda's manga. Ayeka reflects on her drastic decision to cheer her sister up. Tenchi and Ayeka have a conversation that never took place in the manga. Hope, fear, and love mean different things to each of them. Slight TA.


Hello there everyone! This is a slight break from my multi-chaptered fic to gain back my inspiration. This one shot is based on the _No Need For Tenchi!_ manga by Hitoshi Okuda. Full rights are given to his his original short story in volume ten of his popular graphic novel series. I hope you enjoy. This is mostly a relfective piece, but it has slight T/A.

* * *

The first princess of Jurai sat outside until it grew uncomfortably chilly. The weather, however, no matter how cold to her body, did nothing to cool her warm heart. Ayeka smiled as she watched her sister finally make her way into a peaceful sleep while resting on her lap. Though she had coaxed Sasami into relaxing in such a way before, it had been a long time since it had meant this much; since it had brought such a addictive peace to her heart and smile to face. 

Not less than four hours ago, it was not that way. There was a distinctive anxiety in the Masaki household that had it it's beginnings in the homesick heart of the second princess of Jurai. Recently, both Ayeka and Sasami's mothers had come to pay a surprise visit to the Earth. Although this caused much panic and fear among Ayeka and Ryoko, to Sasami it meant the warmth of a mother's hug and the joy of a mother's doting. To say the very least, it was all too soon for Sasami that she watched her mothers go home. The blue haired princess had taken to sitting at the edge of the pier in an untouchable melancholy; simply watching the waves ripple through the lake as easily as her family had come and gone. It was a pure and very painful case of homesickness.

Ayeka watched her sitting at the pier with deep concern. Though their mothers produced such a ruckus and awful embarrassment for her, she knew Sasami did not see it that way. Her younger sister's heart was all encompassing and innocent of such feelings. She only knew a mother's love yet, and not the trappings of adulthood that Ayeka found had created a barrier between her mother and herself. It was truly painful to see her sister in such a state: she had to something for Sasami to cheer her up...anything. The look of worry that had been etched into Ayeka's face eased when a thought struck her.

Tightening the grip on the Juraian holo-album in her hand, Ayeka's heart sped up. It would work, she knew it would, but did she even have the courage to do it? There was an unexplainable fear weaving it's way through Ayeka'a body in small shivers. She lifted the smooth wooden album up where she could hold it both hands. It contained her memories of childhood; the good and...unfortunately, the wildly embarrassing. She swallowed, lifted her head, and closed her eyes tight. When she opened her bright garnet eyes again, she was met with an image of despair; her sister trying to hold back her tears. Ayeka's heart burned and her gut twisted: she had to do it. Clutching the album tightly, her face was set in determination. For her sister, she reminded herself, she would do anything. Absolutely.

Turning towards the house, Ayeka gave one last look to her sister and smiled. In a near jog, she made her way into the Masaki household and found Washu just taking off her shoes at the entrance. With a deep breath and slight smile, Ayeka had all the courage she needed.

"Um...Lady Washu."

The greatest scientific genius in the universe turned and nodded, "Hmm?"

"I have a favor to ask of you..." Ayeka walked Washu back to her lab and only let herself feel one thing: hope.

* * *

Ayeka sighed beneath her brother's tree, Funaho. It was strange how four hours ago could seem as long as a lifetime. It was lukcy for her that Washu had so quickly agreed to help: no special invention included. 

"_A slight gene manipulation, after all,_" Washu had sad with a prideful smile, "_is nothing for the greatest scientific...hmmm...well, it's the least I can do for our little Sasami._"

Ayeka stopped running her hands through her sister's hair, and reached back for her own. It was so strange to see the same color run through her fingers; that same glimmering aqua blue in place of her usual amethyst. But, she smiled slightly in memory, it had allowed Sasami to let go of her feelings freely.

Her sister's eyes had been full of tears and her body as shaking as if frozen when she whispered coarsely to Ayeka, "_You look just like me--- and mother..._" The small girl remained on her knees staring up in disbelief at her sister's transformation. Ayeka's hair curled where hers did, parted where hers did, and was just as sky blue; it was a disabling moment of awe.

Ayeka had smiled gently to her, radiating the love she felt, "_I'm sorry, Sasami...I should have noticed it sooner...you must have been lonely..." _her words had come slowly, but lacked no potency. Holding her hand outstretched to her sister, the mirror reflection of their unshakable family bond, Ayeka simply said, "_Come on..._"

And Sasami launched herself into her sister's waiting arms. All she could do was uncontrollably cry...for once acting like all the other girls her age. Grief poured out from her and her heart felt like it would tear. The small princess just held tighter to her sister, knowing that she could be healed by Ayeka's gentle arms and kind heart that was so much like her own.

As if in response to the memory, Ayeka felt her body grow weary. Mental exhaustion pulled at her. Though she would do it all over again for Sasami, the sudden change had not been easy for the first princess. It had brought back many memories of who she had used to be seven hundred years ago on Jurai: a hopeless princess hopelessly in love with an illusion. Though she had forgiven brother Yosho for his ruse, Ayeka knew that there would always be nagging emotions associated with those distant memories. But it was the present Ayeka had been most concerned about...yes, it had been what the rest of the household would say and do, that troubled her the most. Nervousness had been gripping her heart ever since she'd felt the weather's cold bite: she would have to go back inside and face them all.

But it seemed that fate had once again made the decision for the first princess. "A-Ayeka?"

The Juraian froze at the sound of that voice. She mouthed his name...Tenchi.

"Ayeka, is that you?"

She could hear the confusion in his voice, and it made her heart race in fear. Though it was an irrational fear, Ayeka could not shake it. She bit her lip and tried to brave for the one who was always brave for her, "Y...yes, Lord Tenchi..." She turned her head the slightest degree to confirm her words, but did not dare move her deep pink eyes up from the ground, "It's...me." Her own words carried a weight that spanned seven hundred years to the uncertain present; they were a form of confirmation, but she could not accept them if he did not. Willing her heart not to explode, Ayeka dared not move.

The young Masaki moved around her to see her from the front and watched the princess as her eyes followed his feet. She wouldn't look at him at all. It created an odd sensation within him: a mix of discomfort and disappointment. He swore his heart was playing cruel tricks on him, yet again. Maybe, he reasoned, it was her appearance. It had definitely caught him off guard, and fully explained the odd looks his grandfather and Washu had given him when he announced he was going to go and look for the princesses. They had known about her change.

Tenchi knelt next to to two of them. Sasami had a calm look on her face as she rested in her sister's lap, but Ayeka was the exact opposite. There was a tension about the older sister that was palpable. He let his eyes take her in fully. Her hair shaped her heart face even more so and cascaded down in an inward curl. The Juraian key that she always wore on her forehead was prominently displayed by the part her hair allowed it. The color to her changed hair was more matured than her younger sister's and held a breath taking depth to it as well as a definite shimmer even in the late twilight. Most of all, Tenchi was blown away by how much it made her eyes stand out. Without her bangs to rest above them, Ayeka's eyes were completely open to the world in all their stunning color. That bright garnet color had never ceased to amaze him before, but now...he just had no words to describe what they made him feel.

Tenchi blinked rapidly...and shook himself out of his stare. He cursed inwardly: he was no where close to deciding which girl he loved at this rate. Every time he thought he knew between the space pirate and the princess, times like these made his resolve pathetically crumble. But it was no time to think about that...there was never a time to think about that.

"Ayeka," he began, "I came to help you carry her in the house. You must be cold, huh?" He smiled at her and ran a hand through his hair. When her expression became more downcast, Tenchi was baffled. But realization dawned on him quickly, and when it did, he felt his stomach drop. Masaki foot in moth syndrome, he thought darkly, at your service. He tried again, more earnestly, "W-what I mean is, I mean..." Tenchi took a breath, "No matter what the others say...and no matter what you choose to look like, I think you're very pretty, Ayeka."

His face smoldered as her head snapped up in shock. Her eyes bore into him, and soon her whole face lit up into smile. In that moment, he knew he was completely paralyzed by her beauty. It always seemed that was never through being stunned by the women that had opened their hearts to him.

Tenchi grew flustered soon after and the moment was broken, "Um, well," he reached out and lifted Sasami out of her lap with shaking arms, "We should get back...everyone will be having dinner soon." He stood, still shaking inside...and he was certain his face still glowed.

Ayeka stood smoothly, her won heart calmed and reassured by his words. She looked him directly in the eye without fear, "Thank you, Lord Tenchi." And for the second time that night, her words carried a deeper, and more heartfelt meaning for the two of them. The colored cheeks and chagrined smile that her prince gave her, spoke volumes, as well.


End file.
